Hi all,
I'm setting up a VM on our ESX server using Sun 10 x86. I've configured the hostname in Sun 10, but no other machine is able to use the hostname to communicate with it (i can however use its IP address)
hostname is set in the /etc/nodename file
my resolv.conf looks like
domain ent.ad.xyz.com
search xyz.com
nameserver 142.88.nn.nn
nameserver 142.88.nn.yy
nameserver 10.67.nn.nn
I have also replaced the default /etc/nsswitch.conf with /etc/nsswitch.dns so it reads
..
hosts: files dns
ipnodes: files dns
..
with everything else followed by files
I know Ive missed something obvious, because I can't access other machines on the network from the Sun 10 machine using their hostnames either... all other machines are running varying versions of windows
thanks for any help
Hi
follows this steps this could help you out 
# cp /etc/nsswitch.dns /etc/nsswitch.conf
Create a /etc/resolv.conf file specifying the domain this host is in and where the name server is:
domain chocolate.com.
nameserver 192.168.1.1
Remove all lines from your /etc/hosts file, except the localhost and the IP addresses of any local interfaces.
#
# Internet host table
#
127.0.0.1 localhost loghost
192.168.1.1 twix
Check the dependencies of the DNS server service are running:
# svcs -d dns/server
STATE STIME FMRI
online 7:42:27 svc:/network/loopback:default
online 7:42:28 svc:/milestone/network:default
online 7:42:31 svc:/system/filesystem/minimal:default
Start the DNS server service:
# svcadm enable dns/server
# svcs dns/server
STATE STIME FMRI
online 20:43:22 svc:/network/dns/server:default
# pgrep -lf named
712 /usr/sbin/named
Check for errors reported in the /var/adm/messages file. The ::1#953 error relates to security keys and can be ignored:
# tail /var/adm/messages
borrelly named[712]: [daemon.notice] starting BIND 9.2.4
borrelly named[712]: [ID 873579 daemon.notice] command channel listening on 127.0.0.1#953
borrelly named[712]: [daemon.notice] couldn't add command channel ::1#953: address not available
borrelly named[712]: [daemon.notice] running
thanks, ill work through that and let you know how it goes (though im now randomly getting a 'Failed to Configure IPv4 DHCP interface" error that im gonna have to fix first!)
NB - where ive put xyz.com, nn.yy and all that in my resolv.conf output - they do represent correct values ive made for our network that need to be used, just i didnt want to plaster them all over a public forum 
No joy I'm afraid
I started again with a fresh, complete installation, then:
-Replaced nsswitch.conf with nsswitch.dns
-created /etc/nodename file, containing hostname (vbracs-sun10)
-configured resolv.conf using my settings from above (obv with numbers instead of letters)
The contents of /etc/hosts
#
# Internet host table
#
::1 localhost
127.0.0.1 localhost
142.88.130.64 vbracs-sun10 # Added by DHCP
The output of running "svcs -d dns/server"
STATE STIME FMRI
online 15:24:33 svc:/network/loopback:default
online 15:24:39 svc:/milestone/network:default
online 15:24:42 svc:/system/filesystem/local:default
Enabled dns using "svcadm enable dns/server" as suggested
The output of running "svcs dns/server"
STATE STIME FMRI
maintenance 15:34:11 svc:/network/dns/server:default
"pgrep -ld named" gave no output
The output of "tail /var/adm/messages" with several file not found errors...
Sep 26 15:34:10 vbracs-sun10 named[8294]: [ID 873579 daemon.error] none:0: open: /etc/named.conf: file not found
Sep 26 15:34:10 vbracs-sun10 named[8294]: [ID 873579 daemon.crit] loading configuration: file not found
Sep 26 15:34:10 vbracs-sun10 named[8294]: [ID 873579 daemon.crit] exiting (due to fatal error)
Sep 26 15:34:10 vbracs-sun10 svc.startd[7]: [ID 652011 daemon.warning] svc:/network/dns/server:default: Method "/lib/svc/method/dns-server start default" failed with exit status 1.
Sep 26 15:34:11 vbracs-sun10 named[8305]: [ID 873579 daemon.notice] starting BIND 9.3.4-P1
Sep 26 15:34:11 vbracs-sun10 named[8305]: [ID 873579 daemon.error] none:0: open: /etc/named.conf: file not found
Sep 26 15:34:11 vbracs-sun10 named[8305]: [ID 873579 daemon.crit] loading configuration: file not found
Sep 26 15:34:11 vbracs-sun10 named[8305]: [ID 873579 daemon.crit] exiting (due to fatal error)
Sep 26 15:34:11 vbracs-sun10 svc.startd[7]: [ID 652011 daemon.warning] svc:/network/dns/server:default: Method "/lib/svc/method/dns-server start default" failed with exit status 1.
Sep 26 15:34:11 vbracs-sun10 svc.startd[7]: [ID 748625 daemon.error] network/dns/server:default failed: transitioned to maintenance (see 'svcs -xv' for details)
I've done a search on named.conf all i can find refers to how it is used to configure a DNS server - but as there are already DNS servers configured on our networks (to which I have no access), wouldnt using this cause conflicts? is there not another way? (here's where I say whilst Ive used Linux, I know very little about how Unix works)
What name service are these other machines using ?
If they can't access the Solaris box by its name but can with its IP address, then it is the name service, presumarily DNS, that isn't properly configured.
If your Solaris box cannot access other machines by their name, then your resolv.conf contains incorrect information.
I'm missing why you are trying to install a DNS server on your Solaris machine given it obtains its address by DHCP.
hi jlliagre
i wasnt trying to install DNS, as - like you say - its illogical. Its just the line vishwana was going down. The resolv.conf is also configured correctly without question (details are taken from a seperate working Sun 10 machine we have, and are the same as every other machine on our network)
However, i have found the problem - basically, i didn't realise that unix doesnt broadcast the hostname to the network, and as a result our DNS servers wont register it so won't allow it access to the dns services (a security feature). So i just need a way to broadcast the hostname to the network or, failing that, convince IT to manually register the system.
Thanks for your help